Home Office replaces landing cards in digital transformation drive

The Home Office has announced plans to replace the paper-based landing card system to digital.

Non-EU passengers have been required to fill out a landing card; detailing personal information on themselves and their travel, since 1971. This week, the Home Office announces plans to get rid of the old system as part of the digital transformation strategy for Border Security.

The department assured passengers the change will not result in any loss of data used for security checks.

e-Gates are also part of the transformation project, to improve Border services.

No paper landing cards will mean passengers don’t have to spend time filling out the cards on their flights or in queues, they will have their data stored elsewhere and be checked through different security checks.

Instead of having physical landing cards, the Border Force is expected to use a variety of watch lists to check the identity of non-EU passengers arriving at UK airports. This will minimise the likelihood of having outdated landing cards for when passengers arrive in the UK.

Last year, 16.2m non-EU passengers came through the UK’s border. With the change in strategy allowing passengers across the border the Home Office hopes it will improve traveller experience.

As a result, queues at the Border will be reduce and improve passenger flow through the passport control section.

The change not only benefits passengers, but will also have a positive impact on Border Force security officers by allowing them to spend time working on other security and infrastructure matters.